WHEATLAND – The first year the Blue Mountain Car Show appeared on the scene was in the COVID-ravaged year of 2020 and Hollywood celebrities from The History Channel’s “Horny” Mike Henry & Ryan Evans from the show Counting Cars were on hand.

Last year the event added a 5K and brought in Tom Wopat who played Luke Duke from the ‘70s show The Dukes of Hazzard and the famous 1969 Dodge Charger - The General Lee. It was one of the last times that the car would be shown as it was destroyed two months later in Hurricane Ida.

Each year the show has gotten bigger and better and many people in Platte County were wondering how they could top the successes in the first two years.

This year, organizer Aley Philp has been working feverishly to pull off some things that this town hasn’t seen in a blue moon.

The festival kicks off Friday night, July 8 with a revamped tradition that many grew up with in Wheatland as cars from all over the Midwest will come together for a mass cruise. “Cruisin’ Downtown” is the official start to the weekend, but similar to the Olympics, runners and walkers who are running the 5K will hear the starting pistol go off Friday afternoon at 4:30 p.m. at Bob Ruwart Motors and will make their way to South Street Pharmacy where the start of the cruise will commence as the race concludes.

On the eve of one of the biggest car shows in the area, gathering spots for cars, food trucks, music will be both South Street Pharmacy and Bob Ruwart Motors. 16th Street will be a colorful trip into the history of cars and the town. It was actually Bob Ruwart from Bob Ruwart Motors who sponsored a Corvette in Bowling Green and began to “wish out loud” for car shows to be resurrected in Wheatland.

Saturday morning is a good day to get up with the sunrise and watch as the cars come rolling into town to take their places among the classics being featured. The car show itself will run from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Along with the many vendors and food trucks that will be set up downtown, many events will take place such as the Matchbox/Hot Wheels on a special track set up downtown. People can have a chance to race a micro car for just $1 per race or six races for $5. You can bring your own classic Matchbox car or buy one for $1 at the micro race course.

Also, at 9 a.m. the Kiwanis will be setting up a corn hole tournament and non-tournament open play will begin at 11 a.m. Within earshot of the micro racing and the cornhole tournament the Kiwanis Dunk Tank will be set up and with near 100-degree temps predicted for Saturday, the lucky ones will be the pitchers stepping up to the plate.

There will be over 20 classes of cars in the competition and awards will be given out at the square at 3 p.m.

Other activities will be the Public Library’s sidewalk Chutes ‘n Ladders, a book and a bite, a 50/50 raffle, door prizes and a special Safety Fair set up by local police officers. There will be a car seat inspection, distracted driver simulators and safety education.

In the two previous years that was pretty much a full day, but this year people are going to have to pray for a second wind as the Blue Mountain Demolition Derby will be taking place at the Platte County Fairgrounds with loud engines, crashes, smashes and ooohs and ahhs from the crowd. The gates open at 5 p.m. and the event begins at 6 p.m. Concessions, food trucks, beer and vendors will be on hand offering local fare.

The classes for the derby will be limited weld, chain up, ½ car, people’s choice paint and even a special POWER WHEELS derby for the kids.

After a short night of sleep, the cars will be cruising again Sunday morning with breakfast cruises of scenic Platte County. Car show proceeds will go to help benefit Project Safe, Inc. of Wheatland.

Pictures will taken throughout the day and put on the Platte County Record-Times Facebook page in the days following the event.

For more information, registration and rules, please visit www.bluemtncarshow.org